Darn it, Doug Marrone left just as the getting was good: Syracuse won four games in 2009, eight games in 2010, five games in 2011 and another eight games a season ago, sharing co-leadership in the Big East and making a big statement with a convincing win over West Virginia in bowl play.

Now Marrone is gone, though in the same general zip code – he's now with the Buffalo Bills, ceding ownership of the program he helped rediscover to former chief assistant Scott Shafer. What has Marrone left for his successor? Think about what he didn't leave: a rebuilding job.

But Shafer still has his hands full tutoring a fairly inexperienced team – the Orange return only 11 starters – in a new league, a more competitive ACC. Early results have been nothing by positive, but hey, so is life: Shafer is new, has that new-car smell, and everything is hunky-dory until kickoff.

Syracuse can win the Big East. That says more about the league's lack of a clear frontrunner than it does about the Orange, but regardless: Syracuse can take home its third Big East title in its final season in the league. What would this team need to do in order to go out on top? For starters, the Orange would need to forget about the non-conference schedule, which won't go well. There's every reason to think that Syracuse won't go better than 2-3 outside of Big East play, and every reason to think that 1-4 is a distinct possibility. This isn't a great team, but an easier schedule would absolutely allow the Orange to squeeze into the postseason with six or seven wins. In reality, there isn't one FBS game that stands as a clear victory. Yet I want to make this point: Syracuse could be a surprise team in the Big East. The league is so wide open as to potentially allow a team with some substantial question marks to move from the cellar to the penthouse.

2012 RECAP

— In a nutshell: Not to say anything overly cruel, but Marrone's first eight-win season, back in 2010, always had the touch of smoke and mirrors. Last year's team, on the other hand, was legitimate: Syracuse might have had some early struggles during non-conference play, but by the time November rolled around, this was the best team in the Big East. Want proof? Just ask Louisville. The Orange started 1-3, dropped to 2-4, evened the score at 4-4, lost to Cincinnati to drop to 4-5 but rolled off four in a row to end the season: Louisville, Missouri, Temple and West Virginia. Darn, Marrone got out just as things were getting really interesting.

— High point: The 45-26 win over then-No. 9 Louisville on the first Saturday of November. The Orange have made a habit of taking Big East frontrunners to school, it seems. While Teddy Bridgewater put up his yards, Shafer's defense did an outstanding job forcing turnovers and stopping the run.

— Low point: Early losses to Northwestern, USC and Minnesota. The Orange should have won the first and last; the loss to USC was strange, due to a midgame weather delay. But when it came to the Big East, wins in one of two setbacks – Rutgers and Cincinnati – would have given the Orange a BCS berth.

— Tidbit: Syracuse joins the ACC and moves right to the front of the line – in career victories, at least. The Orange enter 2013 with 699 victories, the most of any team in its new league. But Virginia Tech (697 wins) and Georgia Tech (696) are nipping at the Orange's heels, followed by Pittsburgh (684), Clemson (669), North Carolina (652), Virginia (632), Boston College (631), Maryland (618), N.C. State (561), Miami (537), Florida State (485), Duke (463) and Wake Forest (425).

— Tidbit (Big East edition): Syracuse capped its run in the Big East with a 38-20 win over Temple on Nov. 23. So long, Big East. But the win did something very nice: Syracuse's victory pushed its all-time Big East record to 76-75, one game over the .500 mark.

— Scott Shafer (Baldwin-Wallace '90), entering his first season. Shafer was promoted from within the staff after Doug Marrone left to assume the same position with the Buffalo Bills. Shafer served as Syracuse's defensive coordinator from 2009-12, sharing those duties as the Orange's secondary coach in 2011. As part of Marrone's original staff, Shafer played as vital a role in the program's recent rejuvenation as any; while Marrone focused on the offense and quarterback play, Shafer retooled Syracuse's defense after a multiple-year swoon.

What's surprising to remember is that he didn't arrive at Syracuse with fanfare: Shafer spent one much-maligned season as Rich Rodriguez's defensive coordinator at Michigan in 2008, when the Wolverines cratered at 3-9 in the new staff's first season. He was one of the scapegoats for the decline; fair or unfair, Shafer was quickly replaced. But he's been almost universally successful as an FBS assistant, whether at Syracuse, Stanford (2007), Western Michigan (2005-6) or Illinois (2004). Behind the scenes – somewhat unknown, or known only for misconceived reasons – Shafer really built a very strong reputation in coaching circles.

So why did he get this job, his first head spot on any level? One reason is his background: Shafer has worked under some very strong coaches at several different stops and on several different levels. Most of all, however, Syracuse had to be extremely attracted to the idea of retaining one of the principles figures behind the program's recent move back into postseason contention. There's the draw of continuity, and it can be hard to ignore. For Shafer, the first step will be taking a step away from the day-to-day grind – planning a defense – to a more CEO-like role as the face of Syracuse football.

— Tidbit (coaching edition): Shafer didn't have the luxury to retain many members of Marrone's staff, since a good number left to join him in Buffalo. The only two returning assistants are defensive line coach Tim Dauost, who adds tags as Shafer's assistant head coach and special teams coordinator, and wide receivers coach Rob Moore. As his offensive coordinator, Shafer reeled in another well-regarded coach in former Miami (Fla.) wide receivers coach George McDonald, who worked alongside Shafer at Western Michigan from 2005-6. His defensive coordinator is former UCLA assistant Chuck Bullough, though one only imagines that Shafer will remain fairly hands-on with this side of the ball. Another two hires I think are impressive: linebackers coach Clark Lea is a good one, fresh off a few seasons at UCLA and Bowling Green, and defensive backs coach Fred Reed did a bang-up job at Ohio over the last three seasons.

PLAYERS TO WATCH

— Offense: While Syracuse looks for answers under center, look for the offense to butter its bread behind one of the best backfields in the ACC. The Orange bring back both of last season's leaders, seniors Jerome Smith (1,176 yards) and Prince-Tyson Gulley (825 yards), with the expectations high that both can continue to churn out close to a combined 2,000 yards despite the changes at quarterback and along the offensive line. They're good enough to do so: Smith is an every-down back who excels in short-yardage situations while Gulley, though slightly overlooked, put together a huge bowl game in the cold rain and snow of Yankee Stadium. What I like about this pair isn't that so much that they complement each other but that they're interchangeable, and I mean that in a good way – Gulley can carry the load, Smith can rumble through 25 carries, and both can lead this offense.

As expected, junior Sean Hickey will move over from right to left tackle to replace all-conference pick Justin Pugh. In a slightly less-expected move – though not particularly surprising – sophomore Rob Trudo will move from right to left guard, replacing Zack Chibane. On one hand, moving this pair maintains Syracuse's strength on the left side of the line; on the other, it does make the right side a bit of a concern. While I think it's too early to call it closed, sophomores Nick Robinson and Ivan Foy lead the charge at right guard and tackle, respectively. Both hold promise, especially Foy, but are they ready? It'll again be senior Macky MacPherson in the middle, and he's added some weight over the last 24 months to make himself less of a physical liability against bigger interior linemen. MacPherson has turned himself into a strong contributor.

It's not a great situation at wide receiver, but it's not as bad as it seems. Now, Syracuse does lose a pair of very productive leaders in Marcus Sales and Alec Lemon, the latter an all-conference pick as a senior. But to survive, all the Orange need is a breakthrough year from senior Jarrod West (43 receptions for 588 yards), a healthy season from junior Jeremiah Kobena, continued production from senior tight end Beckett Wales (35 for 389) and immediate improvement from one of two holdovers, such as senior Adrian Flemming, junior Quinta Funderburk and senior Christopher Clark – all possible, if not probable. I'd also love Syracuse to find a bigger role in the passing game for gifted sophomore Ashton Broyld, who showed some of his potential as a hybrid running back-tight end in 2012. No, it's not a great situation; it's also not a bad one.

— Defense: There are some significant losses for Shafer and Bullough to deal with on defense, most centered along the defensive line and in the secondary. The strength stands at linebacker, especially if junior Dyshawn Davis (69 tackles, 14.0 for loss) develops into a star on the weak side. He's not that far away: Davis is fast, aggressive and active, a great fit on the weak side, and already close to honing his talents to become a more productive edge rusher on passing downs. He's joined at linebacker by another all-conference candidate in senior Marquis Spruill (62 tackles, 9.0 for loss), giving the Orange some really nice talent on the second level. Joining the party is junior Cameron Lynch, who will take over on the strong side while Spruill moves into the middle. It's a really solid group, likely a shade ahead of the backfield as the team's strongest unit.

But after Davis and Spruill, does Syracuse have any other defenders worthy of all-conference honors? There's a whole season to play, of course, but I'm struggling to find other difference-makers. Perhaps one is senior tackle Jay Bromley (39 tackles, 5.5 for loss), the lone returning starter on a reworked front four. The Orange lost two starters to graduation and a third, end Markus Pierce-Brewster, to a major violation of team (and state) rules. While depth is the biggest issue of all – it's nearly all redshirt freshmen and sophomores in reserve – perhaps Syracuse has enough size to do a nice job slowing down the run in ACC play. Look for juniors Micah Robinson (18 tackles) and Robert Welsh to start at end while junior Eric Crume and senior Zian Jones join Bromley along the interior. Despite Bromley, this might be the weakest defensive front in the ACC. At best, it's simply the most unproven.

This secondary needs to develop fast, seeing that there are several very strong passing teams on this schedule: Penn State, Clemson, N.C. State and Florida State, to name a few. The secondary also needs to play its way out of Shamarko Thomas' shadow, developing as a coherent unit without the first-team All-Big East patrolling the back end from strong safety. The Orange will fill his shoes with Durell Eskridge, a very promising fresh off a two-start rookie season. It's the status quo elsewhere, from free safety Jeremi Wilkes (61 tackles) to cornerbacks Ri'Shard Anderson and Keon Lyn (46 tackles, 3 interceptions), and the hope is that all three – all seniors, by the way – are ready to lead by example for this entire defense.

— Special teams: Syracuse continues to struggle finding consistent kicking from juniors Ross Krautman and Jonathan Fisher. Will that change in 2013? Krautman is hit-or-miss on field goals and no asset on kickoffs; Fisher doesn't do a great job flipping the field or limiting opposing returns. Syracuse is solid on kickoff returns, thanks to Kobena, but needs to improve in coverage.

POSITION(S) TO WATCH

— Quarterback: Surprisingly, the springtime competition ended with a more-than-expected gap between sophomore Terrel Hunt and senior Charley Loeb, the two primary competitors for the job left vacant by Ryan Nassib. Whether that sticks, however, is up for debate. One thing I learned: Even if Shafer knows this roster, team and personnel, he's basically started from scratch at the quarterback position. This has left Loeb's experience – a fifth-year senior, he's long been Nassib's backup – for naught, unfortunately. And what of Hunt's current standing as Syracuse's projected starter? Also for naught. Come this summer, the Orange will add Oklahoma transfer Drew Allen as a one-year rental, and expectations are high that he'll step right in, like a Greg Paulus (but not quite), and grab the starting role. That's all well and good, but the idea that Allen can step right in, learn a new system, develop a rapport and build trust over the course of one or two months is a cause for concern. It's certainly possible – but should Shafer be concerned? Let's think of the positives: Allen is a big, tall, strong-armed, supremely gifted signal-caller who could start for the wide majority of teams in the FBS. The negatives: Allen needs to hit the ground running. I get the impression that the Orange don't really want to turn the job over to Hunt or Loeb; Shafer and friends would rather use each as the backup, not the starter. For Loeb, a coach in the making, this is a fine role. But it's contingent on Allen making waves come fall camp.

GAME(S) TO WATCH

— Penn State: Although Bill O'Brien might have a hard time matching last year's finish, getting a win over a program of Penn State's stature puts a feather in Shafer's hat and puts this season off on a very high note. From there, it's vital that the Orange do a far better job in non-conference play than 2012; a far tougher schedule won't be kind to a team that goes 1-3 outside of the ACC. When it comes to league play, the most winnable games come at Maryland and at home against Wake Forest, Pittsburgh and Boston College.

SEASON BREAKDOWN & PREDICTION

— In a nutshell: I'm not ready to anoint Syracuse a postseason team until the new staff solves a few lingering personnel issues – if he can solve these issues, rather, and I'm not sure he can. But a few are fixable: Allen can immediately upgrade the team's questionable situation at quarterback, for example. But at the same time, what can Syracuse expect from a one-year transfer with so little time to get ready for the opener? Other issues, particularly on the defensive side of the ball, seem to be season-long concerns.

Take the front four. Outside of Bromley, the Orange are short on experience, production and athleticism – and such assets will be needed against more talented opposition in the ACC. There are no issues at linebacker, of course, and the secondary really needs only a solid performance from Eskridge to do better than last season – because there are three returning senior starters, after all. Most of the issues lie where games are won: at quarterback, on the offensive line and on the defensive line.

But I really like the Shafer hire and the continuity that comes with it; I also like his staff, though they still have to prove themselves as recruiters. The Orange should continue to build a more consistent program, building upon Marrone's foundation, and will, within a season or two, be experienced enough to handle the ACC's higher level of competition. Based on the team's issues in 2013, however, I don't think the Orange go higher than five wins.

— Dream season: Syracuse builds confidence off of early wins over Penn State and Northwestern and rides through the ACC at 5-3, taking one of the league's top bowl bids.

— Nightmare season: The Orange start slow and get slower in October but find some success late to finish 3-9.

— All-name team nominee: RB Prince-Tyson Gulley.

UP NEXT

— Who is No. 80? This university was founded in a leap year starting on a Sunday. The football program's lone nine-loss season also occurred in a leap year starting on a Sunday.

Posted!

125: Georgia State - Georgia State joins the Sun Belt Conference as the newest member of the Football Bowl Subdivision. The team is led by former Indiana State coach Trent Miles, who knows a thing or two about massive rebuilding projects, but the Panthers are several years away from competing for bowl eligibility.
Jim Avelis, AP

124: Massachusetts - After going 1-11 in 2012, its first season in the Football Bowl Subdivision, UMass enters year two under Charley Molnar with little hope of any major improvement against another difficult schedule. The Minutemen are just a hair behind Akron for last place in the Mid-American Conference East Division.
Mark L. Baer, USA TODAY Sports

123: Idaho - After being part of the since-disintegrated Western Athletic Conference, the Vandals will spend one season as a Football Bowl Subdivision independent before joining the Sun Belt Conference in 2014. It won’t be pretty: Idaho will play Northern Illinois, Fresno State, Mississippi and Florida State, among others.
Kyle Mills, AP

122: South Alabama - The Jaguars went 2-11 as first-year members of the Sun Belt Conference in 2012, and that record won’t improve dramatically unless the offense fixes the missteps that defined last season. While coach Joey Jones has assembled some talent, South Alabama is still too inexperienced to be a real threat for more than three or four wins.
Mark Dolejs, USA TODAY Sports

121: New Mexico State. Previous coach DeWayne Walker left on his own accord after compiling a 10-40 record from 2009-2012, taking an assistant position with the Jacksonville Jaguars on Jan. 24, less than two weeks before national signing day. Walker's replacement, Doug Martin, has two things Walker did not when he took over late in 2008: FBS coaching experience (seven seasons at Kent State) and experience in Las Cruces (2011 as the Aggies' offensive coordinator).
Jim Avelis, AP

120: Akron - The Zips proved they could move the football last season, the program’s first under former Auburn coach Terry Bowden, but having a stronger offense didn’t prevent Akron from going 0-11 against Football Bowl Subdivision opposition. A year later, Akron remains far too undermanned to make any waves in the Mid-American Conference.
Robert Mayer, USA TODAY Sports

119: Texas at San Antonio - The youngest program in college football, UTSA quickly moved from the Sun Belt Conference to Conference USA. The issue with such rapid growth is that it will force the Roadrunners to play beyond their years, and this team seems too inexperienced to handle the increased level of competition found in Conference USA.
Eric Gay, Associated Press

118: Florida International - After spending several years building to the point where it could reach back-to-back bowl games, as Florida International did from 2010-11, FIU is back to square one under new coach Ron Turner. The Golden Panthers are entering the first stage of what should be a long and painful rebuilding project.
Robert Mayer, USA TODAY Sports

117: Eastern Michigan - Eastern Michigan is again out to prove its 6-6 finish in 2011 – the program’s lone six-win season since 1995 – was not a fluke. That seemed to be the case last fall, when the Eagles stumbled back to 2-10, the program’s third 10-loss season in four tries under coach Ron English. Confidence is not high in Ypsilanti.
Rob Christy, USA TODAY Sports

116: Memphis - The Tigers made some strides last season, winning four games under coach Justin Fuente, but will be tested by the tougher level of competition in the American Athletic Conference. While the program has clearly improved, 2013 should again find Memphis at the bottom of the conference standings.
Nelson Chenault, USA TODAY Sports

115: Colorado - It can only get better than it was a year ago, if only because things couldn’t possibly get worse. Colorado begins a new era under former San Jose State coach Mike MacIntyre with full knowledge of the difficult road that lies ahead. At the very least, CU knows it is now pointed in the right direction.
David Zalubowski, AP

114: UNLV. It's been 13 years since UNLV posted a winning season. The program is mired in a stretch of five seasons of 10 or more losses in the past seven years, with the last three coming under coach Bobby Hauck.
Bradley Leeb, USA TODAY Sports

113: North Texas leaves the Sun Belt Conference to join Conference USA in 2013. Will a change in scenery lead to a change in the standings? The Mean Green have been better under coach Dan McCarney, winning nine games over the last two seasons, but this team won’t go anywhere unless it can find some much-needed explosiveness on offense.
Scott Sewell, USA TODAY Sports

112: After nine seasons under Mike Price, UTEP welcomes back former assistant Sean Kugler as its new coach in 2013. Kugler has some weapons to work with, including a high-profile addition in Texas A,M transfer Jameill Showers at quarterback, but it will take time for him to reverse UTEP’s losing ways.
Rudy Gutierrez, AP

111: Florida Atlantic -- The team's quest to bolster its fundraising coffers by offering up the naming rights to its new stadium hit a snag after the university student body and surrounding community quickly soured on a deal with GEO Group, a for-profit prison operator with a history of fines, investigations and violations.
Photo courtesy of Florida Atlantic University

110: Illinois -- Bruised and battered Illinois lacks confidence, as one might expect after the Illini won only a single game against Football Bowl Subdivision opposition during the program's first season under former Toledo coach Tim Beckman. Illinois also lacks an offense, a defense and an identity.
Rudy Gutierrez, AP

108: New Mexico -- Four wins is cause for celebration at New Mexico, which went 3-33 from 2009-11 but finished 4-9 in 2012, its first season under former Notre Dame coach Bob Davie. The Lobos may be stuck in neutral while Davie and his staff add talent and depth to a depleted roster, likely leading to another season with four or fewer wins, but the program has found a run-first formula to hang with stronger opponents during Mountain West Conference play.
USA TODAY Sports

107: Colorado State -- This team enters year two of its rebuilding process under coach Jim McElwain, who learned a thing or two about building a winner as the former offensive coordinator under Nick Saban at Alabama. The Rams’ issues in 2013 circle around an offense that remains in flux while it acclimates itself into McElwain’s pro-style scheme. A tough schedule will send CSU to another losing season.
USA TODAY Sports

106: Army. Army exceeded expectations once, in 2010, creating both a remarkably pleasing individual season while increasing the belief that the Cadets and coach Rich Ellerson could do so again. Unfortunately, Army has since slid back to successive losing seasons, with last year ending in a nightmare: Trailing by four points with little more than a minute left, the Cadets fumbled the ball away deep inside Navy territory to again lose to their academy rival.
Jim Avelis, AP

105: Hawaii -- Former USC offensive coordinator Norm Chow has painfully reworked Hawaii’s offense away from a pass-happy system into his pro-style scheme. Results thus far have been decidedly mixed. For now, the Rainbow Warriors will continue to lean on a defense with some speed and talent on the edge while the offense finds its form with a new starting quarterback, junior Taylor Graham. Hawaii is at least one full season away from competing for a bowl bid.
USA TODAY Sports

104: Texas State -- The Bobcats won four games last fall, the program’s first as a member of the Football Bowl Subdivision. This season finds Texas State in the Sun Belt Conference, an offensively prolific league that will test one of the nation’s worst defenses. But the Bobcats are very hopeful that FBS transfers like D.J. Yendrey and Mike Orakpo can give this defense some much-needed experience, production and aggressiveness.
L. Scott Mann AP

103: Miami (Ohio) -- Miami has lost at least eight games in four of the last seasons and has been outscored in each of the last seven seasons, two facts that illustrate the RedHawks’ current rut. Will things change in 2013? Third-year coach Don Treadwell’s group faces holes at quarterback, running back and wide receiver, so the defense will need to carry the load against a fairly easy schedule should Miami look to reach the postseason.
USA TODAY Sports

102: Central Michigan -- The Chippewas reached a bowl game last season by beating the bad teams on the schedule. Despite winning seven games, the gap between Central Michigan and MAC frontrunners like Northern Illinois, Toledo and Ball State remained immense. In terms of personnel, CMU needs to replace a multiple-year starter at quarterback and left tackle Eric Fisher, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2013 NFL draft.
USA TODAY Sports

101: Kentucky -- Welcome to the new era of Kentucky football, revel in this new-car smell, because things have changed: Mark Stoops, the former defensive coordinator at Florida State, has altered the very way Kentucky views itself in the SEC pecking order. Not to mention Kentucky's own pecking order: The basketball team struggled this year, so there might be a power void at the top. Kentucky drew 50,831 fans to its spring game, or more than the Wildcats drew for any two home games from October on, judging by the pictures. Kentucky has reeled in more four-star recruits since December than at any point over the previous decade – combined, or just about.
USA TODAY Sports

100: Boston College -- The Eagles have sat and watched as their consistency, a hallmark of the program for the first decade of the new millennium, has crumbled to become nonexistent. New Boston College coach Steve Addazio's first task will be remaking the Eagles' broken sense of self-worth. If not the easiest first step, at least Addazio can tackle the task without worrying about teams like USC, Florida State and Clemson, three of Boston College's opponents over the first half of 2013. Wins and losses matter less than player development.
Jim Cowser, USA TODAY Sports

99: SMU -- Last year's team was better than its 7-6 record might indicate, particularly in terms of personnel. The Mustangs had a five-star transfer from Texas at quarterback, a two-time 1,000-yard rusher in the backfield, a 1,000-yard receiver, a strong defensive line, an outstanding linebacker corps and a ball-hawking secondary. Yet the Mustangs still failed to beat any opponent of consequence outside of Tulsa, going 1-5 during the regular season against eventual bowl teams.
Jim Cowser, USA TODAY Sports

98: Western Michigan -- To properly understand where P.J. Fleck is coming from you need to sit down and watch him explain his new team's Nekton Mentality, Prefontaine Pace and Farmers' Alliance. These are things, real things, and to Fleck, they are what will separate Western Michigan from the rest of the MAC – actually, according to Fleck, they will ultimately separate the Broncos from the rest of college football.
Marilyn Indahl, USA TODAY Sports

97: Troy -- Once a Sun Belt Conference power, Troy has ceded the top spot to conference rivals like Arkansas State, Louisiana-Lafayette, Western Kentucky and Louisiana-Lafayette over the last two seasons. Getting back to the postseason might be difficult: Troy returns only seven starters, the second-fewest of any team in the country, and lacks depth on each side of the ball.
Jim Brown, US Presswire

96: Kansas -- The opening season in the Charlie Weis era at Kansas went poorly, with a 1-11 mark and a last-place finish in the Big 12. The five-year plan enters year two now: will it be baby steps, befitting Kansas' recent run as the nation's worst automatic-qualifying program, or will the Jayhawks break through the ceiling and challenge for a bowl berth in the brutal Big 12?
Mike DiNovo, US Presswire

95: California -- Jeff Tedford, who coached California for the previous 11 seasons, is gone. In his place, former Louisiana coach Sonny Dykes is the latest offensive innovator to take the reins of a Pac-12 program since 2009. What does this say about California, Dykes and the North? It says that offense is in vogue throughout the division, helping present the Pac-12 as the flip-side to the SEC's defense-first mentality.
Kelley L Cox, USA TODAY Sports

94: Rice -- Rice rode an explosive offense to a bowl game in 2012, defeating the Air Force Falcons in the Armed Forces Bowl. Can that explosive attack continue to help cover up a woeful defense (Rice has now allowed at least 48 points in a game 35 times since the start of the 2000 season) not only for this campaign, but beyond?
Tim Heitman, USA TODAY Sports

No. 93: Washington State -- In their second year under coach Mike Leach, can the Cougars reverse their string of losing at least eight games in the last five seasons? Only one other Pac-12 school has suffered as many eight-loss seasons in a row: Oregon State lost eight or more games in each season from 1979-87.
Allen Henry, USA TODAY Sports

No. 92: Connecticut -- As always, the Huskies are strong on defense but weak on offense. In the past six seasons, UConn quarterbacks have combined to throw 69 touchdowns against 72 interceptions while averaging 185.67 yards per game. Over the same span, the Huskies' defense has allowed 91 passing touchdowns against 97 interceptions while holding opposing quarterbacks to an average of 218.39 yards per game.
David Butler II, USA TODAY Sports

No. 91: UAB -- The Blazers and second year head coach Garrick McGee are trending up, with young talent on both sides of the ball. However, despite their relatively weak conference, UAB looks to still be a year away from reaching a bowl game.
Marvin Gentry, US Presswire

90: Wyoming -- The Cowboys have won 15 games in the past three years, with most coming in an eight-win finish in 2011. Three have come against Football Championship Subdivision competition. Three have come against Colorado State – a combined 10-26 since 2010. Of Wyoming's 15 wins since 2010, only three have come against winning teams: Toledo in 2010 and San Diego State and Air Force in 2011. Every other defeated opponent ended the season with seven or more losses. So what is Wyoming going to do when there are no more easy wins – when its MWC schedule is loaded with teams with realistic bowl hopes?
Brendan Maloney, US PRESSWIRE

89: Purdue -- The Boilermakers have a new coach in Darrell Hazell, who won 11 games at Kent State last season with a unique system of steps that he is proud to call his own. In specific, Hazell's blueprint worked for Kent State. But his plan is universal: It'll work everywhere, whether we're talking Kent State, Purdue or Ohio State, should Hazell slide into the Buckeyes' plans at some point in the future. The Boilermakers will win with what they've got and feel good doing so. Just not from the start, perhaps.
Byron Hetzler, USA TODAY Sports

88: Temple -- Temple went back into its past to nab a replacement for Boston College-bound Steve Addazio. It shied away from the years prior to 2006, when Al Golden stepped in and reversed the program's fate, and opted for one of Golden's chief lieutenants in ex-offensive coordinator Matt Rhule. Rhule's return spells a move back to Temple's recent glory days, when the offense was pro-style, the defense aggressive and the team worked as one cohesive unit. Those were good times. Rhule will bring 'em back.
Howard Smith, USA TODAY Sports

87: Iowa State -- Never before has Iowa State football had this level of fan support. What's not to like? The fan base admires the work coach Paul Rhoads and his staff have put into creating a consistent Big 12 presence, albeit one that typically sneaks into bowl play with six wins, hovering along the league's bottom third. The typically undermanned Cyclones are overachievers, basically. But here's a question: Once you overachieve once, twice, three times, aren't you simply achieving?
Peter G. Aiken, USA TODAY Sports

86: Duke -- Duke is looking to return to bowl play after winning six games in 2012. To do that and reach the postseason, Duke must find consistent play from new quarterback Anthony Boone. Duke will look to a more balanced offense to move the ball against ACC competition.
Mark Dolejs, USA TODAY Sports

85: Kent State -- Led by electric running back Dri Archer, Kent State will try to stay at a high level of achievement after an 11-3 season despite losing their coach to Purdue in the offseason. Prior to last season, Kent State was the lone FBS program with roots in the 20th century with a career winning percentage below .400 – it stood at .388, to be precise. Prior to last season, Kent State had not won more than six games since 1987. Prior to last season, Kent State was mired in a run of 32 non-winning seasons in 34 years. Then, last season, The Flashes came within a whisper of the Bowl Championship Series, believe it or not, and would have been the underdog story to end all underdog stories.
Crystal LoGiudice, USA TODAY Sports

84: Pittsburgh --Pitt's defense is good enough to carry this team. But to say that the Panthers can win six or more games without a strong offense would be misleading – and this offense has some major holes to address before getting started against Florida State in early September.
Tim Heitman, USA TODAY Sports

83: Arkansas -- After a disastrous 2012 campaign following the summer departure of Bobby Petrino, the once-proud Razorbacks will try to get back in to bowl contention in the stacked Southeastern Conference. Coach Bret Bielema will bring a taste of the Big Ten to the SEC, turning Arkansas' finesse style into a punishing, physical team worthy of rolling in the mud with perennial powers like Alabama, Florida and LSU.
Jeff Blake, USA TODAY Sports

82: Southern Mississippi -- After an 0-12 season, the Golden Eagles had no choice but to dismiss their coach and hire former Oklahoma State offensive coordinator Todd Monken to replace him. Like Larry Fedora before him, brings sterling offensive credentials to Hattiesburg. But unlike Johnson, who took over a 12-win team, Monken inherits a winless group struggling to relocate its confidence. USM can take some solace in the fact it can't get any worse.
Tim Heitman, USA TODAY Sports

81: Syracuse - New coach Scott Shafer still has his hands full tutoring a fairly inexperienced team – the Orange return only 11 starters – in a new league, a more competitive ACC.
Rich Barnes, USA TODAY Sports

80: South Florida -- Coming off a 3-9 season, USF hired Willie Taggart as head coach. South Florida is one of five American Athletic Conference holdovers from the old Big East, not counting Temple, which joined the Big East as the league entered its death throes in 2012. Of the five, USF joins Rutgers as the lone programs to have not reached the Bowl Championship Series.
Daniel Wallace, AP

79: Middle Tennessee State --What team shows up in 2013? Perhaps the eight-win squad of 2012, or the 10-win team of 2009, or the bowl team of 2010. Or will it be the 10-loss team of 2011, as disappointing a non-automatically qualifying group in the country?
Kevin Liles, USA TODAY Sports

78: Virginia --UVa has plus-talent at quarterback, running back, receiver and all throughout the defense, with the only issue for 2013 being that nearly every meaningful contributor stands a season away from a breakthrough.
Kevin Liles, USA TODAY Sports

77: Minnesota --Think about this: Every year, Minnesota's quest for bowl eligibility goes through the Wolverines, Cornhuskers, Spartans, Wildcats and Hawkeyes – and sometimes, that quintet will be joined by Leaders Division teams like Wisconsin and Penn State. That'll happen sometimes. Like in 2013, for example.
Jesse Johnson, USA TODAY Sports

75: Western Kentucky --There's a blindingly bright future at WKU, even if it's hard to predict just how long Petrino remains with the program before a win-hungry power comes calling. To get to the next level, however, Petrino needs to develop personnel on offense to fit his foolproof system.
Nathan Morgan/Daily News, AP

74: Buffalo -- Coach Jeff Quinn has done a great job developing talent, as Buffalo won three of its last four games. The arrow is pointing up for this squad, which could reach a bowl game this year. The running game will continue to go through Branden Oliver (pictured), one of the MAC's best backs.
Nathan Morgan/Daily News, AP

73. Indiana - The Hoosiers enter this season a confident group, having won four games under Kevin Wilson last fall. He has developed the team's offense into one of the most potent in the Big Ten. To take the next step, Indiana will need to build more depth on the defensive side.
Nathan Morgan/Daily News, AP

72. Wake Forest: The Demon Deacons are loaded with seniors and several underclassmen set for larger roles. They should challenge for six wins with coach Jim Grobe thanks to a strong offense, which will be more run-based, and increased depth.
Chuck Burton, AP

71. Houston: After 17 seasons with Conference USA, Houston joins the American. It hopes to rejoin the postseason after going 5-7 last season. Dave Piland must step up at quarterback and the defensive-line interior needs to be rebuilt.
Troy Taormina, USA TODAY Sports

70. San Jose State: The Spartans won the Military Bowl last season, finishing an impressive campaign in which they went 11-2 and earned a national ranking in both polls. Even with one of the nation's best quarterbacks in David Fales (No.1), new coach Ron Caragher and his staff has their hands full fixing the defense.
Troy Taormina, USA TODAY Sports

69. Iowa: The Hawkeyes look to rebound after going 4-8 a season ago. Coach Kirk Ferentz will have to find a new quarterback to replace replace James Vandenberg. Their postseason hopes will ride on a strong backfield and and offensive line.
Charlie Neibergall, AP

67. Air Force: Are there negative signs? I'd say so. But are they reasons for concern? No, not really. Though Air Force has been trending downward the last two years – 13-13 combined since the start of the 2011 season – the Falcons have, to be fair, lost four games by single digits. It was only two years ago that Air Force scored 454 points, the fourth-highest total in school history – so the offense isn't broken. Likewise, the Falcons' 2011 defense ranked third in the Mountain West Conference in yards allowed per game. So what happened last season? The Falcons struggled. It happens.
Tim Heitman, USA TODAY Sports

66. Maryland: The Terps enter Year 3 under Randy Edsall with serious bowl expectations. Maryland will have increased depth and will land markedly improved production at quarterback, with C.J. Brown (pictured) healthy. To ensure six wins, Maryland must address some personnel issues on the defensive side of the ball
Patrick Semansky, AP

65. Louisiana-Monroe: ULM had its first breakthrough as a member of the FBS last season, winning eight games. The Warhawks return 17 starters altogether, with eight on offense (including dual-threat QB Kolton Browning) and nine on defense. ULM is easily one of the top three teams in the Sun Belt Conference and a bowl favorite.
Patrick Semansky, AP

64. Mississippi State: The Bulldogs have reached three bowl games in a row under coach Dan Mullen. Last season ended poorly for the Bulldogs, with four losses in five games after a 7-0 start. To rebound, MSU needs to land more consistent quarterback play and replace two cornerbacks
Patrick Semansky, AP

63. Louisiana Tech: After a nine win season that amazingly did not earn them a postseason bid, Louisiana Tech is aiming to keep up their success from last season behind a truly explosive offense. In order to get a BCS bid, which is a possibility if they play their cards right, they must hold serve against weak WAC opponents.
Soobum Im, USA TODAY Sports

62. Tennessee: Tennessee was a few first downs, a third-down conversion, a fourth-down stop, a two-point conversion and an errant pass away from reaching bowl eligibility last fall, the program's third year under ex-coach Derek Dooley. But now Dooley is gone after he failed to make a Bowl game, and in his stead is hot new coach Butch Jones.
Randy Sartin, USA TODAY Sports

61. Utah: Utah didn't bite off more than it could chew in joining the Pac-12, though the record might suggest otherwise: After going 33-6 in its final three years in the Mountain West Conference, Utah has slid to 13-12 in its new league – finishing outside of bowl eligibility last fall, a program-first since the pre-Urban Meyer period. The Utes have moved away from their winning tradition somewhat in recent years, but are looking to get back there on the back of a good offense.
Ron Chenoy, USA TODAY Sports

60. Navy: Okay, so the Midshipmen beat Army again last season. There's a word for Navy's run of success in the chase for the Commander-in-Chief's Trophy: Domination. The Midshipmen have won eight of the past 10 trophies, losing out to Air Force in 2010 and 2011. Last season's sweep – wins against both Army and Air Force – marked the program's eighth double-dip since 2003. But the gap among the armed forces academies might be closing pretty quickly. Just don't tell these Midshipmen.
Danny Wild, USA TODAY Sports

59: Utah State: Utah State came this close to a perfect regular season in 2012, as a missed field goal against BYU sunk their BCS chances. They lost their two games by a combined five points. Then there are the 11 wins, eight coming by 22 or more points. USU was quite easily one of college football's best teams of 2012, one separated from greater glory by only the slimmest of margins.
Douglas C. Pizac, USA TODAY Sports

58. Missouri: The Tigers really struggled in their first season in the SEC, not making a bowl game for the first time since 2004. That's to be expected moving in to the most powerful conference in college football if you don't have a Heisman-winning quarterback, so we can cut Mizzou some slack. They will show improvement this season.
Dak Dillon, USA TODAY Sports

57. West Virginia: West Virginia looks for a vastly improved defense to team with an offense that should remain among the Big 12's best despite changes at quarterback, wide receiver and offensive guard. The Mountaineers started 5-0 in 2012, rising as high as No. 4 in the polls, before losing six of eight to end the season.
Rob Christy, USA TODAY Sports

56. Auburn - After a disastrous 3-9 (0-8 SEC) season, Auburn finally fired Gene Chizik and brought former offensive coordinator Gus Malzahn in to head the program. It was an amazing fall for the Tigers, who won a national championship and went undefeated in 2010-11. Now, Auburn must start virtually from scratch, but have brought in some talented recruits that may help ease the transition.
John Reed, USA TODAY Sports

55. Arkansas State - The Red Wolves won the GoDaddy.com Bowl last year, but now have their fourth new head coach in the last four seasons. But ASU is at the front of the Sun Belt conference and should continue to make the postseason and win games once they get there.
Crystal LoGiudice, USA TODAY Sports

54. Rutgers: Give Rutgers coach Kyle Flood credit for many things, including his nine-win debut as Greg Schiano's replacement, but let's focus on one achievement in particular: Flood and Rutgers have recruited as well as any team in the Big East – and the American Athletic Conference, now that it's 2013. They're not Louisville in terms of quality, but the Scarlet Knights will almost certainly make a bowl game.
Douglas Jones, USA TODAY Sports

53. North Carolina State: After a seven-win season, the Wolfpack has a new coach in former Northern Illinois head man Dave Doeren. After some good results and bad results over the tenure of Tom O'Brien, the pack is ready to move away from average overall results and try and move to the top of the ACC.
Bob Donnan, USA TODAY Sports

52. Bowling Green. Bowling Green: The Falcons’ defense will remain the best in the Mid-American Conference despite losing two all-conference starters. Bowling Green’s biggest concern is quarterback play, where senior Matt Schilz’s disappointing 2012 season has led coach Dave Clawson to create a quarterback competition. If the offense doesn’t improve, Bowling Green could top out at seven wins and a second-place finish in the East Division.
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51. Arizona: After a tremendous debut, coach Rich Rodriguez will need to cobble together an offense without last year’s starting quarterback and top receiver. While the offensive line and running game remain strong, Arizona’s defense is not to the point where it can slow down many opponents during Pac-12 play. The Wildcats will return to the postseason, but the team might struggle in September as it transitions to a new cast on offense.
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